The present invention relates to the carpet extractor arts. It finds particular application in conjunction with the cleaning of floors and above-floor surfaces, such as upholstery, stairs, and the like, using a cleaning solution.
Carpet extractors of the type which apply a cleaning solution to a floor surface and then recover dirty fluid from the surface are widely used for cleaning carpeted and wooden floors in both industrial and household settings. Generally, a recovery tank is provided on the extractor for storing the recovered fluid. A vacuum source, such as a vacuum pump, is mounted to a base frame of the extractor and applies a vacuum to a nozzle adjacent the floor surface. For ease of manipulating the extractor, the recovery tank may also be mounted to the base.
To increase or regulate the flow of cleaning fluid to the floor surface, a pump may be used to pump the cleaning solution from a cleaning solution tank to the floor surface. To date, such pumps, however, have not been able to pump cleaning solution from two separate sources, such as a concentrated cleaning fluid tank and a water tank, while mixing the two liquids effectively to form a relatively homogeneous dilute cleaning solution.
The present invention provides a new and improved apparatus, which overcomes the above-referenced problems and others, while providing better and more advantageous results.